BSEE BUILDING EFFICIENCY


Smart commercial buildings are playing a significant role in improving wellbeing and boosting productivity in the workplace. This will continue to evolve in the future, as Malcolm Anson, President of the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) explains.


term that is commonly mentioned but what does it actually mean to you? My personal take on it, is individuals who are healthy, creative and achieving their optimum performance at work. Research has proven that wellbeing is pivotal in attracting and retaining individuals in their professional capacity. “Well” occupants are deemed physically and mentally able to do their job, as well as willing to develop their skills further. Furthermore, employees who are happy in their working environment are more loyal to their organisation. Given what I’ve recently discussed concerning the skills shortage in the building controls industry, I’m sure you’ll agree that the above ingredients are essential in helping our sector to really flourish.


W ‘ There are many


factors that contribute towards the wellbeing of individuals including heating, lighting, noise and air‐quality. Buildings are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated, this we know. Yet many workplaces may not have had any form of facelift over the last 100 years.


’ 22 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER OCTOBER 2017


Occupants of buildings often say they have little control over their environment. This is why there is a growing trend towards respecting the needs and responsibilities of individuals who occupy and use buildings. There are many factors that contribute towards the wellbeing of individuals including heating, lighting, noise and air-quality. Buildings are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated, this we know. Yet many workplaces may not have had any form of facelift over the last 100 years. Sick days in the UK last year cost over £137m to businesses. We spend more than 90% of our times indoors, so it’s imperative that our working environment brings out the best in us, rather than making us ill, unproductive or unhappy.


Indoor air pollution


Something to bear in mind is that indoor air pollution can range from two to five times greater than outdoors. This underlines the urgency in ensuring that commercial buildings are healthy and meeting the requirements of occupants.


As I see it, wellbeing is something that needs to be embedded into our


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WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE It’s about creating the right environment


ellbeing is no phase – it’s here to stay. In fact, it’s changing our future as we know it. Wellbeing is a


business culture. Some organisations have fully embraced this – but as yet this is not common practice across the board. In the technologically advanced age that we live in, we expect buildings to be intelligent and that means adapting to the needs of individuals. British Land reports that by 2020, there will be 75 million wearable tech devices being used in the workplace worldwide. A staggering statistic, which shows that innovation is not standing still.


The message we need to reinforce is that wellbeing needs to be at the forefront of design. When buildings are designed with the needs of individuals in mind, those employees will not only be more productive as a result, but happier too.


WELL Building Standard


This is one of the reasons, that the WELL Building Standard has been introduced. It is the first building standard to focus on the health and wellbeing of people in buildings.


This has since been aligned with BREEAM – which is the global sustainability standard. The two together, now provide an easier reference point, to link both sustainability and wellness in commercial buildings to achieve best practice.


A Building Management System (BMS) is, of course, integral to this and something with which we are all familiar. A BMS controls the critical environmental system for HVAC and generates large and continuous volumes of real time data on the performance of the building and the behaviour of the people inside it. The Internet of Things (IoT) also plays a vital part in wellbeing. The IoT is a suite of technologies and applications that equip devices and locations to produce large amounts of information – and connect those devices for data analysis. Once the data has been analysed, smart action can then be taken.


With so much data available, this allows building managers to accurately predict conditions and adjust the environment to suit the needs of individuals, such as detecting changes in indoor air quality that can have an adverse effect on wellbeing


and performance. Consequently, it can either autonomously fix the issue, or over time it can automatically adjust accordingly.


User controls


It seems logical to me, that individuals should have adaptable solutions that meet their personal preferences in the workplace. There is no substitute for providing flexibility and user controls, rather than standard settings. No two people are the same, so why would we expect individuals to deliver their best, in an environment that is unsuitable for their needs?


Personal preferences such as heating, lighting, air conditioning and noise levels can all be monitored and easily altered. All of which, can make a sizable difference to the working environment for each individual user and boost their productivity and wellbeing.


What we must also take into account is that our workforce is aging. Soon, older people will be working for longer periods of time. Therefore, we need to be sensitive to the wellbeing of all ages and factor this in when considering wellbeing in the workplace.


With increasing competition for talent in all industries, adopting new strategies that enhance the user experience is a must for all building and facilities managers. Companies that focus on wellbeing and are proactive in doing so, are more appealing to work for, it’s that simple.


For a successful future, organisations must look at methods which not only continue to improve the efficiency of the building itself, but which promote productivity of the occupants within. This will ensure a happy, healthy and sustainable working environment which can only continue to benefit the building controls industry as a whole.


www.bcia.co.uk VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.bsee.co.uk ‘ Wellbeing is


something that needs to be embedded into our business culture. Some organisations have fully embraced this – but as yet this is not common practice across the board. In the technologically advanced age that we live in, we expect buildings to be intelligent and that means adapting to the needs of individuals.


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